At the Village, it takes a village.
Our staff include certified nursing assistants, nurses, and an administrator, known as a Guide. A dietician, social worker and a nurse supervisor consult with the team as needed.
Staff bios and photos
Denise Mecartea
Denise Mecartea joined Mustard Seed Village as the Guide (Director) in August 2022.
Denise has worked in health care all of her adult life, but began her career as a nursing assistant. She discovered a passion for working with persons with dementia while attending a family support group and taking part in a gerontologist mentoring program. She also became part of the first inclusive dementia care residence located in Gig Harbor in 1992. From there, Denise began teaching dementia and mental health for the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Her career experience has involved planning, developing, and implementing memory care and assisted living programs in Pierce, Kitsap and Lewis Counties.
Denise has served in varying senior care capacities such as social services, Red Cross’ Meals on Wheels, and volunteering with Senior Information and Assistance. She has also assisted her own parents as they navigated through the many facets in health care that they needed.
Denise and her husband love living on the Key Peninsula where they enjoy growing flowers and vegetables. Her husband built their home in the 1970s and they feel fortunate to have their daughter and two grandsons living nearby. They also have two therapy dogs that have been raised to assist in senior care settings.
Jaime Larson, RN BSN MAEd
Jaime Larson joined Mustard Seed Village as the RN in December 2022.
Born and raised in California, Jaime has now lived in Washington State longer than her native home and has no plans to relocate because being so close to nature brings much joy to her. In 2003, she relocated to the Tacoma Area and has since moved around the Puget Sound to include adventures to the North (Everett) and around Tacoma, Spanaway and the Key Peninsula. Jaime and her son became permanent residents of the Key in 2019 when she built her home in Lakebay.
Jaime’s career path has been lengthy to include work in retail, education and now nursing. In 2016 after leaving public education Jaime obtained her certified nursing assistance license and in 2019 progressed to registered nurse. Her time as an RN has been spent both in and out of the hospital to include Tacoma General Progressive Care Unit, Key Medical Center Clinic Nurse, travelling COVID nurse and Allenmore Resource/Float Pool. In early 2022, she received her BSN and hopes to someday earn her nurse practitioner.
Jaime is very excited to return to work on the Key Peninsula as the Health Services Coordinator for Mustard Seed Village. Here she will oversee the 32 elders, educate and mentor the Shahbazim/caregivers and work closely with the community to provide the three homes with 1:1 medical attention, activities and individualized care promoting quality of life/living.
In her spare time Jaime enjoys spending time with family, operates a photography business, enjoys playing music, cooking, movies, board games and so much more
Management
About our operator, Concepts in Community Living.
The Village is managed by Concepts in Community Living, Inc (CCL), a pioneer in the assisted living field with innovations that have shaped best practices and policies. CCL was a vital partner for the Mustard Seed Project and helped with the design and development of the Village.
Over the last two decades, Concepts in Community Living has helped research, develop, market, evaluate and manage hundreds of supportive housing projects throughout the U.S. and Canada. Today, CCL advises developers, owners and government agencies across the country, and operates senior housing projects on the West Coast.
The founders of CCL came up with the first assisted living model, known as the “Oregon Model,” put into practice at Rackleff House in Canby, OR. While many things make CCL a wonderful operator and employer, the proof is in the rates of resident and employee satisfaction, which are way above national averages.*
Learn more about Concepts in Community Living at ccliving.com.
*92% resident satisfaction (compared to 77% nationally); and 81% overall employee satisfaction, ranking CCL 15th in the nation by NRC Health and earning them the “Employee Approved Award”
